Ex-employees and drivers claim poor management led to the downfall of Tony’s Express.
Former employees and drivers of Tony’s Express attribute the abrupt collapse of the 70-year-old trucking firm to financial mismanagement under new owner John Ohle. The Fontana, California-based company ceased operations on March 28 following a series of urgent text messages from management starting March 24, citing an unresolved truck insurance issue. Despite efforts to troubleshoot, the situation led to a permanent closure, leaving employees without work and pending paychecks.
Sources informed FreightWaves that even two weeks post-closure, employees, including drivers and office staff, have not received their final wages or compensation for paid time off, with some paychecks having previously bounced. Ohle, who bought the company in March 2023, acknowledged the challenges, citing high fuel costs and market conditions as factors. He mentioned failed negotiations with potential partners that could have saved Tony’s Express.
As the community reacts to the sudden shutdown, a source revealed that Ohle was already planning to acquire another trucking company shortly after Tony’s closed. This ongoing situation has raised significant concerns among the former workforce about the future of their unpaid wages and benefits.
